Long Live Worldwide October

Long Live Worldwide October 1933

Sixteen years after the October Revolution in the communist philosophy still indicated that Russia was the beginning of a worldwide revolution. This propaganda poster entitled Long Live Worldwide October is an apt demonstration of communist ideology during the infancy of the Soviet Union. The poster’s background shows a plethora of workers covering the top half of the globe while the foreground contains workers of different ages and ethnicities all holding up red and white flags that read “Long Live Worldwide October” in multiple languages. The bottom half of the globe is untouched by the workers. The top half of the poster, the part touching the workers features a pure white background behind the globe, while the bottom section of the poster, the side that is still untouched by workers remains in the dark. The message the government is attempting to convey within this poster is that the Soviet Union is the dawn of something more. The workers from around the globe are binding together and while right now the revolution is confined to the corners of the Soviet Union, the top of the poster, soon it will spread to the dark crevices of the globe that have net yet been saved by the brilliance of communism. The workers of several different nationalities also exist to convey how the revolution is the start of an international event. In the dawn of the Soviet Union, it was still believed that the workers would rise up around the world to create a new world order, fit for communal living and to benefit the proletariat and not the bourgeoisie. The multiple languages on the flags also signify how this revolution is the beginning of an international event. However, because the flag in Russian is in the front because this poster was likely meant for a Soviet/Russian audience, it’s prominence also signifies that the revolution began in Russia and that while this is a global event, at its center of importance will lie the Soviet Union, and Moscow as if Russia was to be the first among the many equals of the world.

This poster is significant to Stalin’s propaganda campaign because it helps to subconsciously paint the Soviet cause as one that would cause global enlightenment. It does this through a strong use of color and space. It also shows the supremacy of the Soviet Union (because of Stalin, obviously) by displaying not only the workers on top but by putting the Russian worded flag at the very top and center of the poster. Each of the large workers is holding two flags (many are red, a clear theme in Soviet propaganda). The flags are held up by two workers, presenting a united front to the reader. It shows the audience how when the workers are united (under Stalin) they are strong, like the man of steel. All ages and ethnicities of workers should unite (under Stalin) for global supremacy, and make communism the way of the world (under Stalin because he’s too great even though he is not actually pictured here).

While the poster is clearly centered around Russia, it does have a presumptuous flair of international appeal. To any group of workers toiling away, struggling to survive in the dark corners of industrialized nations, the Soviet Union would appear bright and fruitful because of the wonders of communism (under Stalin). Each of the posters that say “long live worldwide October” could inspire these workers to unite like they did during Russia’s October Revolution because “if they could do it, why can’t we?” This poster’s appeal internationally follows the rule that revolution breeds revolution, and then we can all just keep on revolving. Just like how one revolution started a tumbling domino effect in the Arab Spring of 2010-2011, this propaganda is hoping to capitalize and show that the Soviet Union’s revolution can breed more like it and bring about a new world order where the workers are on top (just underneath Stalin). The international appeal could also serve to bring more workers into the Soviet Union, a nation that needs a large volume of labor to jump-start itself into the industrial age. If the underclass of some nation in Europe is starving while slaving away on a farm or in the factory you could leave to a nation that is more prosperous for people like you. Thus the international appeal of this propaganda campaign is for spreading the communist message and how prosperous it is for the Soviet Union during the darkest of depressions in every capitalist country on the planet, and to recruit a labor force required for making the Soviet Union the world power that it “is meant to be” under Stalin.